June. Saturd. 27. meaning, but not to admit it: he immediately 1767. made a speech to the people, pointing to the ftones, flings, and bags, with great emotion, and fometimes his looks, gestures, and voice were fo furious as to be frightful. His paffions, however, fubfided by degrees, and the officer, who to his great regret could not understand one word of all that he had faid, endeavoured to convince him, by all the figns he could devife, that we wished to live in friendship with them, and were difpofed to thew them every mark of kindness in our power. He then hook hands with him, and embraced him, giving him at the fame time feveral fuch trinkets as he thought would be most acceptable. He contrived alfo to make the old man understand that we wifhed to traffic for provifions, that the Indians fhould not come down in great numbers, and that they fhould keep on one fide of the river and we on the other. After this the old man went away with great appearance of fatisfaction, and before noon a trade was established, which furnished us with hogs, fowls, and fruit in great abundance, fo that all the fhip's company, whether fick or well, had as much as they could use. 1767. June. CHAP. VI. The Sick fent on Shore, and a regular Trade eftablished with the Natives; fome Account of their Character and Manners, of their Vifits on board the Ship, and a Variety of Incidents that happened during this Intercourfe. MAT 1 ATTERS being thus happily fettled, I fent the furgeon, with the fecond lieuteSaturd. 27. nant, to examine the country, and fix upon fome place where the fick might take up their refidence on fhore. When they returned, they said, that with respect to health and convenience, all the places they had feen upon the island feemed to be equally proper; but that with respect to safety, they could recommend none but the wateringplace, as they would be there under the protection of the fhip and the guard, and would easily be prevented from ftraggling into the country, and brought off to their meals. To the wateringplace therefore I fent them, with those that were employed in filling the cafks, and appointed the gunner to command the party that was to be their guard. A tent was erected for them as a fhelter both from the fun and the rain, and the furgeon was fent to fuperintend their conduct, and give his advice if it fhould be wanted. It happened that walking June. walking out with his gun, after he had feen the 1767. fick properly disposed of in the tent, a wild duck flew over his head, which he shot, and it fell dead Saturday 27. among fome of the natives who were on the other fide of the river. This threw them into a panic, and they all ran away: when they got to fome distance they stopped, and he made figns to them to bring the duck over: this one of them at last ventured to do, and, pale and trembling, laid it down at his feet. Several other ducks happening at the inftant to fly over the spot where they were standing, he fired again, and fortunately brought down three more. This incident gave the natives fuch a dread of a gun, that if a mufquet was pointed at a thousand of them, they would all run away like a flock of fheep; and probably the eafe with which they were afterwards kept at a distance, and their orderly behaviour in their traffic, was in a great measure owing to their having upon this occafion feen the inftrument of which before they had only felt the effects. As I forefaw that a private traffic would probably commence between fuch of our people as were on fhore, and the natives, and that if it was left to their own caprice, perpetual quarrels and mischief would enfue, I ordered that all matters of traffic fhould be tranfacted by the gunner, on behalf of both parties, and I directed him to fee that no injury was done to the natives, either by violence or fraud, ard by all poffible means to attach the old man to his intereft. This fervice he performed with great diligence and fidelity, nor did he neg left June. 1767. left to complain of thofe who tranfgreffed my orders, which was of infinite advantage to all Saturd. 27. parties; for as I punished the first offenders with a neceffary feverity, many irregularities, that would otherwife have produced the most difagreeable confequences, were prevented: we were also indebted for many advantages to the old man, whose caution kept our people perpetually upon their guard, and foon brought back those who straggled from the party. The natives would indeed fometimes pilfer, but by the terror of a gun, without ufing it, he always found means to make them bring back what was ftolen. A fellow had one day the dexterity and addrefs to cross the river unperceived, and fteal a hatchet; the gunner, as foon as he miffed it, made the old man understand what had happened, and got his party ready, as if he would have gone into the woods after the thief: the old man, however, made figns that he would fave him the trouble, and immediately fetting off, returned in a very fhort time with the hatchet. The gunner then infifted that the offender fhould be delivered up, and with this also the old man, though not without great reluctance, complied. When the fellow was brought down, the gunner knew him to be an old offender, and therefore fent him prifoner on board. I had no intention to punish him otherwife, than by the fear of punifhment, and therefore after great entreaty and interceffion, I gave him his liberty, and fent him on fhore. When the natives faw him return in fafety, it is hard to fay whether their aftonifhment or joy was was greatest; they received him with universal acclamations, and immediately carried him off into the woods: the next day, however, he returned, and as a propitiation to the gunner, he brought him a confiderable quantity of bread-fruit, and a large hog, ready roafted. At this time, the people on board were employed in caulking and painting the weather-work, over-hauling the rigging, ftowing the hold, and doing other neceffary bufinefs; but my disorder, which was a bilious cholic, increased so much, that this day I was obliged to take to my bed, my first lieutenant alfo ftill continued very ill, and the purfer was incapable of his duty. The whole command devolved upon Mr. Furneaux, the fecond lieutenant, to whom I gave general directions, and recommended a particular attention to the people on fhore. I also ordered that fruit and fresh provifions fhould be ferved to the fhip's company as long as they could be procured, and that the boats. fhould never be abfent from the ship after funfet. Thefe directions were fulfilled with fuch prudence and punctuality, that during all my fickness I was not troubled with any bufinefs, nor had the mortification to hear a fingle complaint or appeal. The men were conftantly ferved with fresh pork, fowls, and fruit, in fuch plenty, that when I left my bed, after having been confined to it near a fortnight, my ship's company looked fo fresh and healthy, that I could fcarcely believe them to be the fame people. Sunday 1767. June. Saturd, 27, |